Floor-scraper.



J- MIOTKE.

FLOOR SORAPER. APPLICATION FILED MAY15, 1907. RBNBWBD MAY 1a, 1908.

904,709. Patented Nov, 24, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1l mm MMM J. MIOTKE.

FLOOR SCRAPBR. TIoN FILED MAY 15, 1907. RENBWBD MAY 1a, 1908.

APPLICA Patented Nov. 24, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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@wi-h1 eases Mm M JOSEPH HIOTKE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

FLOOR-SCRAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed May 15, 1907, Serial No. 373,819. Renewed May 18, 1908. Serial No. 433,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH IWIIOTKE, of Milwaukee, Visconsin, have invented a Floor-Scraper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to scrapers or scraping-machines for floors, of the wheeled type, such machines being provided with wheels on which they run, with a long handle by which they are dragged over the floor in the active scraping` direction and rolled in the opposite direction, said handles being ordinarily secured in a pivotal manner to the machine. In all such scrapers as heretofore devised, so far as I am aware, the force by which the scraping-blade is pressed against the floor depends directly upon the upward pull upon the handle. In the ordinary form of scraper the axis of the wheels forms the fulcrum of a two-armed lever, at one end of which is the scraping-blade and at the other the handle, so arranged that the upward movement of the handle is accompanied by a downward movement of the blade and vice versa. Such scapers cannot be operated so as to maintain at all times a uniform pressure of the scrapingblade upon the floor, because the force of the upward pull (which is the vertical component of an oblique pull, the horizontal component of which is the force necessary to scrape a shaving from the floor) necessarily varies according to the angle at which the handle is held and with the force necessary to cut a shaving, which in turn varies with the relative hardness of the wood. Such a scraper moreover requires considerable skill of manipulation to maintain even a moderately uniform action of the scrapingblade, and it presents the further great disadvantage that it requires a strong man to operate and is very wearisome and exhaust ing upon the back muscles, owing to the continual upward pull necessary to operate it. Moreover it has the further disadvantage that the blade cannot follow the unevennesses of the floor because the plane of the scraper-blade is regulated by the positions of the wheels, so that the scrapingblade does not always rest upon the floor along its entire length but sometimes only at one corner or end, and consequently cannot cut a uniform shaving the entire width of the blade.

It is my object to obviate these disadvantages and to produce a scraper which even an unskilled person can operate with efliciency; which does not depend for the pressure of the scraping-blade upon the floor upon the amount of strength or direction of pull which is given to the handle by the operator; which is operated to scrape the floor without any vertical or upward pull upon the handle; and which is so devised that the blade will rest at all times upon the floor over its full length when in operation. I also aim to provide certain novel and useful subsidiary conveniences and auxiliary devices, the nature of which will appear hereinafter.

The main principle upon which my scraper rests is one which is absolutely novel to this class of devices; and it consists in so connecting the handle with the machine that a backward pull upon the handle, as in the active scraping direction, is accompanied by a shifting of the point of support of the scraper body toward the rear (that is away from the scraper-blade) whereby the actual weight of the scraper is divided between said point of support and the scraperblade; whereas a push upon the handle, as in returning the scraper for a new cut, is accompanied by a shift of the point of support back again to a point practically under or in front of the center of gravity of the machine, whereby the latter is caused to tilt back and raise the scraping-blade from the floor. This function may be carried out in various ways, of which the most convenient is perhaps that herein shown, namely the provision of two separate rolling supports, one on each side of the center of gravity, with a lever connection between the machine and the handle whereby a rearward pull upon the latter acts to relatively depress the rear rolling-axis and raise the front rollingaxis, and a push upon said handle acts in the reverse manner.

Other features of my invention are a locking device whereby the machine may be locked in the raised position of the scrapingblade when not in use; a division of the machine into two separable parts of approximately equal weight, each of which is provided with its own means for lifting and carrying it, thereby rendering transportation easy; and such other constructions and combinations as will be hereinafter pointed out and specifically set forth in the claims.

For the better understanding of my invention I have hereinafter described two forms thereof, on a larger scale.

in which the same may be carried out, these forms being respectively illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of one form of scraper according to my invention, in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the scraper in the scraping position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the scraper. Fig. 4e is a longitudinal section Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe body ofthe scraper, the weight and handle being removed. Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the scraper on the plane 6. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through an alternative form of scraper according to my invention, in its normal position. Fig. S- is a plan view thereof without the weight, and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same in the scraping position.

In these drawings every reference letter and numeral refers always tothe saine part.

Describing first the form of scraper shown on Sheet l of the drawings, the frame or body A as shown is of generally rectangular forni and carries front andl rear axles B and C, on which are mounted wheels b1 and c1 respectively. The axles B and C may or may not turn with the wheels, but in the present instance the wheels are mounted loose thereon and the axles kept in position by split-pins Z22 and o2 (Fig. 5). The rear wheels el may in some cases be provided with rubber tires c3. The front axle B is mounted in holes in the frame as shown, but the rear axle is not fixed'ly connected with the same but merely forms a rest or support therefor in the normal position of the scraper. The frame A is notched out on each side as shown at al, F4, whereby the axle C may move up and down relative to the frame, or rather the frame moves up and down relative to the axle, and the upper ends of said notches al rest upon the axle in the normal position of the frame. The axle B is mounted in sockets in the rear end of a lever member D, which is pivoted upon the frame by means ofV an axle or shaft El mounted in holes in the sides thereof. Said lever member D is provided with upstanding side-flanges Z1 arranged to receive between them the handle E which may be secured thereto by any suitable means, such as screws (Z2 passing through holes cl3 in said flanges, and said' handle E is shown as provided with handholds c1 at the top; but any other suitable form may be adopted, this being immaterial to my invention.

The fron-t end of the scraper-frame A is made preferably with a heavy transverse member (see Fig. Ll) which is faced olf obliquely as shown, for the reception of the scraper-blade F, this latter having the usual turnedv or curved edge f1 so formed that when pressed downwardly upon the Hoor and the scraper is drawn backward it will cut a shaving from the surface of the floor. The blade F is held in position by means of a plate G against the bach thereof, which latter is in turn secured to the frame A by means of suitable capscrews g1 entering holes (t3 in the member a2.

To give necessary or desirable weight upon the blade during action, especially for broad blades, it is desirable that the front end of the frame be weighted, and to this end I have provided a detachable weight I-I, which, as shown, lits on top of the front of the scraper-frame insuch position that its center of gravity is substantially immediately over the axle B; but this precise position is not necessary to the operativeness-of my invention. Said weightis secured in place by means of a bolt I, which passes through a hole formed in the center thereof and engages with a threaded hole a* in a bol'ting lug a on the frame. The bolt I is provided also with a shoulder or nut l (which is in effect the saine as a shoulder), this latter reciprocating in a recess h1 in the weight, said recess being made deep enough so that when the weight is removed from the machine and set down upon the floor the end of the bolt I retires into the recess /tl and thereby the Hoor is not dented by the pressure of the end of the bolt I thereupon. At its upper end the bolt I is conveniently provided with a handle 2, which serves not only for tighten-ing the bolt I but also for carrying the weight H when removed from the machine.

At the rear side of the weight I is a locking device consisting of a pivoted dog or catch J swinging upon a pivot-pin jl said dog being of ust the proper length to engage when dropped to its vertical position with the cross-member cl* of the lever member D' (which cross-member is disposed forward of the pivot El), and it consequently in this position prevents the rotation of the handle E and lever-member D and the tilting of the scraper-frame, as will be presently described. The dog J may be conveniently provided with a finger-piece jg for turning it in those designs in which it is inconvenient to reach the long limb of the dog with the finger, and a pin js is set upon the side of the weight I-I to support the dog in a horizontal position when the scraper is in use'.

The operation of the scraper is as shown in Figs. l and 2, the former being the position in which the scraper normally rests and which it will assume when being pushed forwardby a horizontal pressure upon the handle E, said pressure tending to rotate the lever-member D in a left-hand direction. On the other hand. a backward pull upon the handle E tends to rotate the lever-inem.- ber D in a right-hand direction, so that it assumes the position shown in Fig. 2, and

CIJ

in dotted lines in Fig. 4. This raises the rear end of the frame A until the scraperblade F rests upon the floor, and further until the wheels I)1 are raised completely ott the floor, so that the weight is now Supported entirely by the scraper-blade F at the front and by the wheels c1 at the rear. It is to be observed that any slight variation in the position ol the handle itl or any variation in the amount of pull exerted thereupon, will have no sensible etl'ect upon the pressure of the scraper-blade upon the Hoor, this latter depending` solely upon the weight otl the forward end of the frame; so that the action of the scraper-blade will be uniform, which is, so far as I know, not the case with any other scraper.` Furtherniore it is thus possible to bring the greater partv of the entire weight of the machine upon the scraper-blade directly, the actual amount or proportion depending upon the relative distances from the center of gravity of the whole oit the edge f1 ot' the blade and the axle C respectively.

The position which the tloor K assumes relative to the machine when in operation is indicated by the dotted lines /cl of Fig. Ll.

It is convenient to divide the weight of the machine aboutl equally between the weight H and the remainder of the machine; and for convenience of transportation there may be provided a handle (Z5 at the forward end ot the lever member D, and the rear transverse member e of the trame may be appropriately rounded ott' to t'orm a second handle. The handle (Z5 is so placed as when raised to lie approximately directly over the center of gravity when the frame is in horizontal position, and can thus carry the machine horizontally, while the handle e is so disposed that Ythe trame is carried vertically thereby. By dividing the weight equally between the member H and the remainder it is more easy to carry the machine with one member in each hand.

Referring now to the form ot' scraper shown on Sheet 2 of the drawings, there is shown a scrapertrame M supported by front and rear axles N and O, the former of which carries a pair of wheels nl rotatably mounted thereon, while the latter carries a single central wheel o1. The axles N and O are not mounted in xed positions relative to the t'rame, but are slidable in oblique cam-slots m1 and fm2 respectively. A lever- .inember P is pivoted on a pin Q in an intermediate position on the scraper-frame, said pin being` mounted in a transverse member ym ot the frame, which has an opening m" in the center to receive the end of the lever-member P as shown in Fig. 7. The lever-member P is connected to the axles N and O by means ot links R and S which turn freely on the axles N and O and upon a pivot-pin .T which passes through the mem- ,"ber P; and said member P is also provided with handle-flanges p1 adapted for the attachment of a handle-bar as shown in the firstI -form of scraper'. The weight H and its connections are substantially the same as shown in the first form, with the exception of the bolt U having a` slightly dittferent 'torni oit collar yu1 and handle ai.

It is apparent l'rom an inspection ot` the drawing that pushing upon the handle to move the scraper forwardly will cause it to assume the position shown in Fig. 7, while pulling upon it will turn the lever-member l) into the position shown in F ig. 9, the scraper-frame being pressed forward with respect to the wheels, so that the axles N and O move to the rear ends oit their respective slots m1 and mi, whose obliquity is so directed as to throw the nose ot the scraper downwardly until the scraper blade strikes the tloor, and thereafter until the forward wheels nl are raised therefrom, thus bringing the entire weight ot' the 'tront end otthe apparatus upon the scraper-blade. A dit- `ferent torni ot' locking-device ior the apparatus is also shown in this torm. llpon the rear transverse connecting-web m5 oit the `trame pivoted a locking-bar V upon a screw-stud al, which is capped by a washer v2 and nut u upon the reduced end thereot', in such manner as to allow a certain amount of vertical play to the bar Y. The bar V has a shoulder e upon its lower tace which rests upon the edge of the transverse meniher mi', that vis upon the front or rear edge thereof according as said locking-bar is turned into the .locked or unlocked position. the -tormer ot which is shown in dotted lines and the latter in iull linesl in Fig. 7. then in the locking position the end oi the bar V lies against the back oi" the vlever-member P and prevents its rotation.

lt is to be observed that, while the front axle oi my scraper requires substantially either two rollers or at least one ot suthcient breadth to maintain the frame level againstI transverse oscillation, the support 'trom the rear axle, on the contrary, should be only at or near the central axis` so as to permit ot lateral oscillation sullicient to bring` the scraper-blade into even contact with the tloor along its entire edge. In the first form hereinabove described this is accomplished b v placing the pivot-lugs ot the member D close together and giving them a certain looseness; in the second it'orm by providing but a single central roller. This` however` is to be understood as a desirable. but not essential feature ot my scraper. It is also to be observed that mv scraper provides special. means t'or limiting the depth ot the out where that end is desired. Vhile, under ordinary circumstances ot operation. the full regular depth of the cut. corresponding to the amount of the weight. is desired, under certain circumstances it is desired to take a lighter cut and this can be readily done by pressing downward slightly upon the handle at its limiting position, which acts to turn the scraper as a whole in a clock-wise direction (as seen in the drawings), or rather to bring pressure to that end so as to take ofll a certain part of the effective weight upon the scraper blade, depending` upon the amount of pressure. 'Vith a. little practice ie operator readily learns to operate the apparatus so as to get a lighter or heavier' cut exactly as may be desired.

The principles hereinabove described may be carried out in a variety of other forms and ways, the two forms above given being cited merely as examples of the principle involved, and it will be understood therefore that do not consider myself limited to the aforesaid forms, nor otherwise except as may be apparent from a reasonable construction of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraping-blade at the front end thereof, said blade being adapted to scrape when drawn rearwardly, a rolling support for said frame7 said support being in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement, and means for shifting the point of application of said frame upon said support toward and from said scraping-blade.

2. The combination of a frame, mea-ns for attaching a. scraping-blade upon the front end of said frame, said blade being adapted to scrape when drawn rearwardly, a rolling support for said frame, said support being in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement, and means for shifting the resting point of said frame upon said support in a longitudinal direction.

3. The combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraping-blade to the front end thereof, said blade being adapted to scrape when drawn rearwardly a pair of rolling supports for said frame at different distances from and on the same side of said scraping-blade, and means for altering the proportion of weight of said frame borne by the respective supports.

il. The combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraping-blade to the end of said frame, a rolling support for said frame, a lever, said support being' in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement andv means operated by said lever for shifting the effective point of application of said support to said frame.

T he combination of a frame. means for attaching a scraper-blade to one end of saidv frame, a rolling support for said frame,

solari-oeA said support being in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and duringl its engagement, a handle pivoted to said frame and acting as a lever, and means actuated by said handle when turned upon its pivot to shift the point of application of said rolling support to said frame toward and from said scraper-blade.

G. The combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade to` one end of said frame, a pair of rolling supports at different distances from said scraper-blade, a lever, and means actuated by said lever for varying the proportion o the weight of said frame carried by the respective supports.

7. The combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade to one end of said frame, a pair of rolling supports for said frame at different distances from said scraper-blade, the axis of said supports being shiftable with respect to said frame, said supports being in advance of the scrapingblade inv the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement, and means for raising and lowering one of said supports with respect to the other.

8. The combination of a frame, means for attachingk a scraper-blade to one end of said frame, a pair ofv rolling supports at different distances from said scraper-blade, said supports being in advance of the scrapingbladel in the scraping' movement of the tool and during its engagement, the axis of rotation of said supports being substantially transverse to said frame, and means for transferring part or all of the weight supported by one of said supports to said scraper-blade and the other support.

9. rllhe combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraperblade to one end of said frame, a pair of rolling supports for said frame at different distances from said scraper-blade and having their axes of rotation substantially transverse to said frame, said supports being in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement, a handle connected with said frame and adapted to move it backward and forward to operate the machine', and means actuated by said handle for varying the proportion of weight of said frame carried by the respective supports.

l0. The combination with a frame and means for attaching a scraper blade to one end of said frame, of a rolling support for said frame behind said scraper blade and having i-ts axis substantially transverse to said frame, a second rolling support having its axis of rotation likewise transverse to said frame and at the rear thereof, a handle attached to said frame, and means connectingV said handle with said supports whereby upon the forward movement said handle Crt causes said rear support to be raised relative to said front support, and upon the reverse motion said handle causes said rear support to be depressed relative to said front support whereby said blade is brought in contact with the floor-surface.

11. In a scraper, the combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade to one end of said frame, a pair of transverse roller-supports behind said blade and at different distances from said scraper blade, a handle pivoted to said frame and acting as a lever, and means connecting said handle with said supports whereby a pull upon said handle causes the weight carried by said front support to be fully or partly removed therefrom, and a push upon said handle causes it to be restored thereto.

1Q. In a scraper, the combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade at one end of said frame, a pair of transverse roller-supports behind and at different distances from said scraper-blade, a handle, and means connecting said handle with said supports whereby a rearward pull upon said handle causes the forward support to be raised from the ground thus causing the apparatus to rest upon said scraper-blade and the. rear support.

13. In a scraper, the combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade at one end of said frame, a pair of rolling supports behind and at different distances from said scraper-blade, a handle connected with said frame, the center of gravity of the whole lying between said wheel-supports whereby the apparatus normally rolls thereon and said scraper-blade is supported at a distance from the floor, and means actuated by a pull upon said handle for increasing the distance between said frame and the rear support whereby it is tilted forwardly until the front support ceases to sustain the frame and the latter rests upon the scraper blade.

14. In a scraper, the combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade to one end of said frame, a rolling support upon said frame behind said blade and having a transverse. axis, a lever-member pivoted to said frame, a second rolling support having` a transverse axis to the rear of the first and mounted on said lever, and a handle secured to said lever-member and acting by a pull thereon to raise the rear end of said frame relative to said rear support whereby the front end thereof is made to rest upon said scraper-blade.

15. In a scraper, the combination of a frame, means for attaching a scraper-blade to one end thereof, one or more rolling supports for said frame, a weight detachably mounted upon said frame, and a bolt passing through the center of said weight and engaging with a threaded socket in said frame; said bolt having permanent slidable connection with said weight and a handle at its upper end whereby it maybe turned to secure and release said weight and whereby said weight is lifted and transported.

lpIn a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching a scraperblade to one end thereof, rollers mounted near the front of said frame, a lever-member pivoted on said frame, one or more rollers pivoted on said lever-men'iber to the rear of the pivoty of the latter upon the frame, and a handle connected with said lever-member.

17. In a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching a scraperblade to one end thereof, rollers mounted near the front of said frame, a lever-member pivoted on said frame, one or more rollers pivoted on said lever-men'iber to the rear of the pivot of the latter upon the frame, and a handle formed on said lever member forward of the pivot thereof whereby said frame is lifted and transported.

1S. In a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching a scraperblade at one end thereof, of rolling supports for said frame arranged to support said scraper-blade out of Contact with the floor, a handle attached to said frame and having means for tilting said frame whereby Said scraper-blade is brought in contact with the Hoor, and a locking-device adapted to prevent said seraper-blade from being brought into contact with the floor.

19. In a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching` a scraperblade at one end thereof, of rolling supports for said frame arranged to support said scraper-blade out of contact with the floor, a handle attached to said frame and having means for tilting said frame whereby said scraper-blade is brought in contact with the floor, and a locking-device adapted to prevent said frame from being tilted.

20. In a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching a. scraperblade to one end thereof, of rolling supports for said frame adapted to roll on two transverse axes on opposite sides of the center of gravity of said frame, a lever-member adapted to raise the front support relative to the rear support whereby the weight is removed from the former, and a lockingdevice adapted to prevent the aforesaid action of said lever member.

21. In a scraper, the combination with a frame and means for attaching a scraperblade to one end thereof, of rolling supports for said frame adapted to roll on two transverse axes on opposite sides of the center of gravity of said frame, a lever-member adapted to raise the front support relative to the rear support whereby the weight is removed from the former, and a pivoted locking-bar adapted when placed in the locking position to block the movement of said lever and prevent the operative action of the scraper.

22. In a scraper, the combination with a frame-and means for attaching a scraperblade at one end thereof, of an axle transverse to said frame, apair of rollers mounted upon said axle, a detachable Weight mounted over front end of said frame.y a handle-lever pivoted upon said frame, one or more rear rollers rotatably mounted upon said lever-member at a point to the rear of the pivot thereof, and a pivoted lock-bar adapted when in locked position to project into the path of said lever-member and pre- Vent the same from being,` rotated to depress said rear roller or rollers relative to the frame.

23. A floor-scraper comprising, in Combination, a frame having,` means for attaching 1 a scraper-blade at one end thereof, roller supports for said frame, said supports being in advance of the scraping-blade in the scraping movement of the tool and during its engagement, a lever-handle connected with said frame and acting to shift said roller-supports in such manner as to bring' the scraping edge of said blade in contact with the floor surface, and means limiting the continuous movement of said leverhandle whereby the pressure thereon beyond said limiting position tends to raise said blade from the floor surface. 

